309: Spring 2018-2019 Application

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STC 309, also known as “Creative Kitchen,” is a forum for students to explore and intensively workshop an idea for an independent, creative, technology-related project through serious play. Serious play refers to an array of playful inquiry and innovation methods that serve as methods for problem-solving, creation, and exploration. Serious play methods include, but are not limited to: improv theater, low-fidelity rapid prototyping, gamification, and audience engagement. In this course we will question the presentation of narrative, discover how to use methods of serious play in order to explore ideas, and root/examine projects in storytelling (which can itself take many, non-traditional forms).

Students are expected to propose a project and have some previous experience in the exploration of the proposed project. Experience can look like: a summer internship that relates to the project, previous coursework or extracurricular work related to one aspect of the project, or other examples of independent exploration. However, we do expect that you would take this course WITHOUT yet knowing everything you need to complete your project, and that you will spend the course of this semester developing the skills and concepts you need to take your idea to the next level. It is fine for your project to be something that you are simultaneously exploring in another context through other course or project work this semester, but please let us know in your application if this is the case, and describe how this course would specifically enhance your project and its development.

This course meets on Mondays from 1:30pm-4:20pm, and you can expect to generally spend 5-8 hours per week outside of class on your proposed project. Students will be expected to report on and present on their progress at intermediate stages during the semester. A final written report and an oral presentation/demonstration/workshop that engages visitors in the completed design project will be required.

The application to apply for STC 309 will open on December 5th and close on January 1st!